Formerly known as the club handicap
The club is very grateful to Jo Yarnall and James Nelson for taking on the organisation of the 2025 handicap races, which are now known as the ARC 5k Race Series.
Last year's winner was Sally Gordon, with Andrew Birkbeck and Hayden Nicholls taking 2nd and 3rd place. The individual event winners were Louise O'Reilly, Sally Gordon (two races), Rachael Jones and Mandy Brassington. Who will take the crown this year?
Last year's winner was Sally Gordon, with Andrew Birkbeck and Hayden Nicholls taking 2nd and 3rd place. The individual event winners were Louise O'Reilly, Sally Gordon (two races), Rachael Jones and Mandy Brassington. Who will take the crown this year?
The series consists of 5 x 5k races, one each month from April until August. In these races, all runners' abilities are levelled, so that every runner, regardless of speed, has an equal chance of being the winner. Everyone will given a start time according to their current 5k time, with the person who has the slowest 5k time setting off first, then others following at times calculated so that all should finish at around the same time.
Congratulations to Jack Micklewright, who finished first in the May run with a cumulative time of 44:38.
The full results can be found here, alongside a full statement of the rules.
2025 dates were:
- Tues 15th April
- Tues 13th May
- Tues 3rd June
- Tues 8th July
- Tues 12th August
- Each event starts shortly after 7pm.
- We will all run the same 5k route, which starts and finishes at the Stick and Wicket car park gate. The route can be found on this Strava segment.
- The idea is that if everyone runs to form then they should finish at the same time, meaning that runners of all abilities can compete against each other.
- Approx. 30-40 runners take part
- Start times are set initially using a 5k race time you submit - this may be your best recent parkrun time but you need to be realistic if you know you have not been racing to the full at parkrun!. After the first race, start times will be tweaked according to your finishing time.
- The person with the slowest 5k time will set off first.
- Then runners will set off in 30 second intervals using start times calculated as above, so if the slowest person has a 5k time of 42 minutes and someone else has a time of 32 minutes then the second person will start off 10 minutes after the first person.
- The parkrun timing app will be used so when you finish and cross the line you will be given a position token. You will then be asked to write down on sheets provided your name next to the finish number you were given.
- The total running time will be calculated by adding the start time to the running time on the night.
- 30 points* will be awarded for the first finisher, 29 for the second etc, all the way down to 1. All who take part will be awarded at least 1 point.
*The starting number will be decided by the organiser, according to the number of participants, but will always be the same throughout the season... - The overall season's winner, runner-up and third place on points will be awarded trophies at our annual Presentation Evening.
- You will only need to compete in 3 races to qualify for the end-of-season prizes - the points table is calculated on your 3 best scores.
- There is a social time after each handicap event with members bringing some food to share.
Competitors in the 2nd ARC Race Series of the year, 13th May 2025